Is Being In A Gang A Waste Of Time?

[BABYBRAZE]

that "wutever dont kill u makes u stronger" thing is the lamest thing ive ever heard unless ur talkin about mentally - tell a person who paralyzed for life n kant even blink on ther own that ther stronger then they used to b

[over it]

u sound like a pissed off ex gang member who got kicked out kause he wasnt strong enough.

[Anonymous20]

You missed the whole point over it. I'm pissed off at the rate at which young black males are throwing their lives away on the streets, and to answer your question, i wasn't ,"Kicked Out", of anything, i just say where it was headed before it could take me under. But i still had to witness alot of good friends blood spilled out there. There is nothing glamorous about that, and if you think there is you got a serious problem!

[Common Sense]

u sound like a pissed off ex gang member who got kicked out kause he wasnt strong enough.

What do you mean by "not strong enough?"

Do you even realize what you wrote?

There is a major difference between strong and dumb.

[Hyp Notica]

man this is the area of the site i needed 2 b on all along. i been preachin my beliefs bout survival, recognition of life, 4 long time. heres a cut and paste, n ill keep an eye on what yall say from now on. words of wisdom interest me. i feel like ive seen it all, but now i know better. do you know what i mean¨... paz, y much love. kiss your babies goodnight. too much wanna b hard, because yeah of course theres aspects of ghetto life in mt-REAL, tons of it... theres always ghetto if u look 4 it.. the difference here is that trouble dont come to you, you can avoid it. if yer lookin you will always find, but if u wanna keep a cool head, its so easy ta grow up straight , git a minimum wage payin job at future shop n whatever (or telemarketing like all the english people do here), build up yer car, then get an appartment n shit, like all the other people here. i find ghetto life round these parts are just the seduction of rebelling, being unmotivated (lazy), scared of failure (low self-esteem, so dont actually try to accomplish anything, like hold down a job), or bad role models (older bro inna gang), or yer moms is #%@& up (cant pay the electric bill or make sure yer registered 4 school because shes too busy gettin drunk n beat up by an ahole u hate, n u have to go to court for breakin a bottle on his face).

canada is so soft, on the most part, but i remeber being 15 when my friend was snatching cars from driveways for a coke dealer who claimed rides as debt payment. stole over 200 cars for sure b4 he turned 16, saw with my own eyes... n his family wasenèt that #%@& up.. but got placed in detox as a minor.. ect ect. man i seen so much BS round here, just in cdn, st-henri, burgs, lasalle, blah blah. next guy i know (blue line) had a paranoid fool put a machete to his throat on his 18th birthday in his moms house, n they used 2 do hits together, didnt stick him that day, but got his best homie the week later n puncture his lung, was dead 4 a minute, shocked him back, is all skinny now n walks like a cripple.. no need man, no need. he in the pen now.
--
so i dunno whatz more to say. seek and you shall find. do like the rest of us. experiment, taste, feel, live. when youve had anough, too many people die, git locked up, dipped, junkies or raped or pregnant, then u wise all up n either turn reborn again christian, Fallum Gong, or Nation of Islam or what not, or have a kid, get a ghetto ass job n work yer way up, or get a job in the very same thing that you feel coulda *saved you* if only youd had it .somethins gotta give somewhere if ya gonna make it alive through this game or gift we LA VIDA LOCA.

[Common Sense]

man this is the area of the site i needed 2 b on all along. i been preachin my beliefs bout survival, recognition of life, 4 long time..

Welcome to the thread.

theres always ghetto if u look 4 it.. the difference here is that trouble dont come to you, you can avoid it. if yer lookin you will always find it,.

There is always BS to fall in, but I believe many are addicted to the excitement of it all.

Do we really need to go to prison to learn our lessons?
I don't think so. Some lesson's can be learned right here on this forum. Save yourself the wasted time.

[Common Sense]

Here Is One Theory I have:

The ignorant gene is so deep and the resistance for change is so strong it's worse than the Aids virus. This ignorant gene is taking fools out like the Bubonic plague in the middle ages. You know that was called the "black death" of Europe. Is gang violence the new black death. I would like to say it is. It's killing just as many, but one man difference is, it's killing lot's black and latino people paramilitary and civilian.

This gene is very smart. It's smarter than the Aids virus. The gene takes over your mind body and soul. It makes you feel invincible while at the same time it keeps in a fog of denial. The gene tries everthing in it's power to keep you hypnotized this way, because it feeds on your ignorance for survival. This gene needs you "To Not Know" or "Not Know any Better". This gene operates like "The Borg" on Star Trek. It turns many into One Big Mindless Fool Population. The gene tells your mind, Resistance Is Futile, get on out there and do yo thang, it's all good. So now your caught up in a sea of slaaaves.

This is gene can be cured, but only after you realize you carry it. Then maybe you might have a chance of survival.

[over it]

You missed the whole point over it. I'm pissed off at the rate at which young black males are throwing their lives away on the streets, and to answer your question, i wasn't ,"Kicked Out", of anything, i just say where it was headed before it could take me under. But i still had to witness alot of good friends blood spilled out there. There is nothing glamorous about that, and if you think there is you got a serious problem!

i wasnt talkin to u blood, i was talkin to kommon. got too much to say and u always sayin it on this site. go somewhere an express all ya knowledge, put it to some use. niggas on here aint listenin to u

[Hyp Notica]

the ones who listen don't need our help. the ones who don't listen need to decide to change by their own damn self. where does that leave you? for me, it's both therapeutic and draining at the same time, the way i allow my pressing urgency, a reaction to the trajedies occuring all around me, to manifest itslef into a "please learn from what i've seen" state, so that you may move on to something better. life has taught me these lessons for a reason, n it ain't to make money and pretend ive never seen. the least it could be for is to give another lickle yout the thought that they can do something too, and the only gap between me and them is a couple years n a lil hope n suerte...no magic.

[Common Sense]

You missed the whole point over it. I'm pissed off at the rate at which young black males are throwing their lives away on the streets, and to answer your question, i wasn't ,"Kicked Out", of anything, i just say where it was headed before it could take me under. But i still had to witness alot of good friends blood spilled out there. There is nothing glamorous about that, and if you think there is you got a serious problem!

i was talkin to kommon.

That's a good thing. So talk to me.

got too much to say and u always sayin it on this site.

What better place to spread the word. Does it bother you, that someone actually gives a damn. Does it bother you when someone say's don't be the next statistic. Does it bother you that some of these actions put black people back another 50 years, after all that hard work. Maybe you just don't care?????

go somewhere an express all ya knowledge, put it to some use.

You came to the prevention, awareness, and intervention thread, so obviously you were searching for answers and enlightment. You will get it here. I don't care about who is B walkin', C walkin' or even D walkin'. You will get blatent honesty here. I'm not impressed with superficial BS. Don't fear knowledge and information like cryptonite. That's the only way your gonna get over. I'm not your enemy.

niggas on here aint listenin to u

Maybe they're are...maybe they're not. That's up to them, because in the end it's their life and they are responsible for their own actions.

[OneHundred3]

quit wastin yo time with these bustaz CM most of these fags aint in no gang and wish they wuz in one, they aint got no kinda sense bustaz aint put in no work or nothin u arguin with some ignorant ass lil kids that never did no crime except j-walk across the street and when they did that they probly still looked twice

[J-DUB]

quit wastin yo time with these bustaz CM most of these fags aint in no gang and wish they wuz in one, they aint got no kinda sense bustaz aint put in no work or nothin u arguin with some ignorant ass lil kids that never did no crime except j-walk across the street and when they did that they probly still looked twice

YEA CM, DONT WASTE YA TIME with HOE O 3. MUST OF THE FAGS IN HIS HOOD, AINT REAL GANGSTAS ANYWAY AND WISH THEY WAS. HE ARGUE AND IS JUST AS IGNORANT AND A LIL AZZ KID, JUST THE SAME. NEVER PUT IN NO WORK, DID ANY KRIME OUTSIDE OF PETTY THEFT AND LITTERING LOL.

[OneHundred3]

quit stalkin me u ugly ass hoe , i'm a top notch and u a herpes infested hood rat , sorry maybe in another life

[over it]

j dub is not them twatt hoes u be f*ckin.

[J-DUB]

U ONE TO TALK ABOUT HERPES NIGGA. DIDNT I BEE U ON THAT VALTREX KOMMERCIAL, "TALKIN ABOUT SOME DAYS I FEEL BETTER THAN OTHERS". LOL, YEA THAT WAS YOUR BIT*H AZZ. OPPS GOTCHA BIT*H !!!

[Lonewolf]

Why don't we all chill a bit, have a shot of tequila and smile - life is good - don't sidetrack the topic at hand.

[J-DUB]

U RIGHT LONE, IM NOT GONNA SAY NOTHING ELSE IN THIS TOPIK.

[Anonymous20]

Drama, Drama, Drama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Noog]

AND YET MORE DRAMA......

Report from London Borough Of Hackney. On Monday, gunmen raked a car with gunfire. Inside two men and a baby girl of 18 months old. Two men critically ill with multiple gunshot wounds and baby shot in leg.

I hate the drama...but its an everyday thing in these ends......this was a gang thing - I dont care if it was Yardies or our local boys, I just dont care. What I care is that humanity can return to my neighbourhood and city. My heart breaks in my breast. Walking home from work, I look over my shoulder every two minutes, need to know whos on the street. Going out at night - hide phone, hide money, hide herbs...dont want to be jacked. Being in a gang just brings misery and fear to these ends.

When I was a kid, I enjoyed an old school tear up and still believe that boys fight and thats the way it is. But though I loved to mash it up in an old school way (that is no weapons, no weapons), I hate gang culture cos it only brings death and despair. Cant think of a positive note at all....

[Common Sense]

Cant think of a positive note at all....

There is no positive note. What you have is two and three generations of brainwashed kids that don't know any better. They are set up to live the life of poverty in most cases, because they had years of training. Not all go down this road, but many do.

*Sometimes it takes prison to see the light.
*Sometimes it takes the death of someone you really care about to see the light.
*Sometimes it takes a near death experience to see the light.
*Some will never see the light, only to live in darkness until there number is soon to be called.

[J-DUB]

SMH

[Lonewolf]

The Birth of Los Angeles Gangs

A large percentage of the gangs in California are made up of Hispanics. Chicano gangs more or less started in Los Angeles. More precisely, they started in East Los Angeles. Mexicans have been in the East LA area since before California was part of the United States. California used to be part of Mexico until the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican American War.
Chicano gangs can be traced all the way back to how the Mexican community was treated in the USA throughout history. The people who make up the Mexican community have almost always been treated like second-class citizens. First the U.S. took their land in the Mexican American War. Then they were segregated from society by making them go to separate schools. The U.S. took advantage of their hard working skills by exploiting them in the grape fields of California, and so on and so on. Ever since the US took their land, they have been in a constant struggle.
The birth of todays hispaniC gangs in L.A. can be traced all the way back to the zoot suiters. The zoot suiters wore baggy suits tapered at the bottom. The suits were looked at as unpatriotic, but that's the reason why they wore them. They wore them in protest, to express their feelings on how they were being treated. This led up to the Zoot Suit riots in 1943.
With the zoot suits gaining popularity among the Mexican community, many of the zoot suiters started organizing clubs. Soon, the way you could enter these clubs was by being "jumped in." This meant that you had to fight more than one member of the club, resulting in your getting jumped in. But, after it was all over, you were accepted into the club. This has carried on to the modern gangs of today. These zoot suit clubs started to gain popularity among the youth. As with any other groups of young people, there were often fights. The philosophy of these clubs was that once you fought, the problem was solved. Once you joined these clubs, you gained the honor and respect of the people in your club. The clubs became very close, with tight-knit groups becoming a second family to many of their members.
The things that changed the clubs were guns and hard-drugs, which appeared during the Vietnam War. Many Mexican members of these clubs went off to war, where they experienced violence and drugs. Many Mexican Vietnam veterans came back on drugs and angry for what their country had put them through. Carrying a gun became a common thing, and instead of fighting their enemies like they did in the past, they killed them. Selling drugs and guns became the main force behind the gangs. They retained their beliefs of honor and respect, but now that the guns and drugs were mixed in, it was hard to determine what was honor or respect. The introduction of pcp, heroin, lsd, and cocaine to the streets of LA just fueled the problem. Now the gangs weren't just fighting over girls and popularity, they were fighting over drugs and the marketing and selling of drugs. This led to disputes over territory and who had rights to sell certain drugs in certain parts of the city. Thus the modern gangs were born.
With the huge influx of immigrants, not only from Mexico, but also from Central America, gangs were growing faster than ever. Some gang members started their careers in places where there was civil war or turmoil like in Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, and Guatemala. Then, when the members immigrated to America, they brought a new more violent attitude about gangs with them.
Gangs are a part of society and have been throughout history. They are a social problem that shouldn't be overlooked. The gangs in America exist because of the way we have treated certain people. Gangs are lasting reminders that there are many social problems, and gangs were started as a result of youth reacting to the government and society. The current gang situation in America was fueled by the aftershock of the Vietnam War. It introduced hard-drugs and guns to the streets in a much higher volume than ever before. The formation of modern gangs today was put into high gear by the introduction of crack cocaine to the streets. Both directly and indirectly, our government and our society have played an important role in the gangs that exist today. If we as a society want to stop gangs and the lifestyle of violence that surrounds them, we must solve the problems of equality and poverty first, because this is where the seed for gangs was first planted.

[Noog]

Lonewolf, you sing from the heart blood. Keep on, articulate, interesting and clear. (By the way, in London, the expression 'blood' just means friend or cus, no link to the LA gang!)

[Anonymous20]

for real lonewolf, thanks for that very interesting read

[Noog]

" Let us solve the problems of poverty and inequality first" (lonewolf)

This is what counts. Like Homeboy Industries say - " Jobs not Jails" and "Nothing Stops a Bullet like a Job". The good fight is for justice - ethnic, social and economic justice. Its housing. Its access to training and real employment. Its jobs.

You know what, in England the massive majority of people of our population would vote for Kerry if they could. I know he wont be able to solve those deep issues fully cos at the end of the day he's another politician and full of politricks, but in contrast to Bush (God save us all from this man and his neo-con cronies), he would be the better man to address the gross disparities that America experiences between your rich and poor. We in UK are all of the view that because of Bush et al, there no longer exists democracy in America. We are all hoping and holding our breath for Kerry, waiting to breath a sigh of relief. Thats for the sake of thw security of the whole world and also because of issues of social justice, racism, inequality and poverty that too many Americans have had to suffer because of their respective governments who dont give a damn bout the inner cities.

Lonewolf is so right. Bush and the neo-cons are just the biggest gang in town boys and girls. HIs kind of politics are the foundational reason why gangs exist. Gangs are an expression of human beings trying to survive in an intolerable situation, made that way by generations of poverty, neglect and blame by your own governments.

Again, for me, being in a gang is a waste of time. What would be a valuable and incredible use of time would be for those outfits, those gangs all over to become politicised, yes man, get like the Zapatistas, get like Mandela, get like Malcolm, get like Homeboy Industries, get like.....and so on. Peace

[yahyah]

Even if black brothers in one organization are militent we are considered a gang

I understad the actoins of others representing a unit my label others in that unit

But wuldn't that be discrimination
ex: italians are mobsters
hispanic women only have babies an be house wives
blacks are thives
whites are racist all the time
america is for you lol

The qusetion should be what oganizatoin or group should our youth join
is there a fight we have to conquer and how can we conquer that
education is key
but academics have to be balanced out by street knowledge in order for us to make a real difference

You right gangs are a mistake organizations are a must

[YOUNG1_ASEK]

im not a gang member
i wont ever be a gang member
im a graffiti artist
a writter
a tagger u take ur pick of names...
did i grow up around gangs? yes
do i know gang members? yes
do i have family in gangs? yes
do i have close friends in gangs? yes

im probably one of the youngest foos up in here
but ive been around
ive seen a lot of shit
been thru a lot
not sayin i know a lot but i think i know wsup for my age
n like ive said ive been around
for example
for 2 months wen i was in middle skool i went to some middle skool in a rich community. and when i say rich community i mean as in a country club in the city. no graffiti. no gang members. probably a city where CM grew up in. ((sorry had to say it)) i the first DAY i went to that skool the principal asked me "excuse me but why do you dress like that?"....like what! to me the way i dressed was normal but as soon as i went out to lunch everything came together. i was an outcast. everyone was in there "nice" ass expensive clothes. i was in my dickes, plain shirt with my fade. u feel me?the first class i went to within 10 minutes i got kciked out for speaking. while i was there people use to think i was in a gang. but the thing was where i grew up no one would have mistaken me for a gang banger.it only took em 2 months to get me kicked out. yeah i admit i did some shit but fuck it they pissed me off. i think thats when i startin realizn how out of place i was from my neighborhood i grew up just bein another foo..but outside of the hood ..out in the world i was looked down on. i wasnt even a banger. i didnt even look like a damn gangster. but people now and days are so quik to judge. CM i know we've had some arguments on the topic of "WRITTING" but on this TOPIC "IS A GANG BEIN A WASTE OF TIME" how can u defend ur side honestly. ur comin from SOCIETYS point of view. but u have to understand ur life/mindset/opinions are differnt then those of not even gang members. just people who grew up on the streets. arguments like this will forever continue...the most that can be done is for u to accept what we have to say n we accept what u have to say not agreee just take it in. and that can even be hard when we've seen and been taught one thing only. for example if someone told u today ur name was Charles. What would u say? uh no my names _______ . but what if someone kept insisting to u that ur name was charles. i know its a corny example but think of it , u cant get someone to change there thoughts or opinions about something when all there life theyve had it. also i some of my closes friends and family are gang members and i dont think that its respectful for u to put down what thayve chosen to do just becuz "society" says its bad. society says lock them up. society turns there backs on them cuz of the things there involved in. well cut that. i got nothing but love n respect for those doin there thing. shit i got love for anyone doin there thing whether its dirty or not.but as long as its justifiable. sometimes some of us get lucky. like i did

RIP SNAXX varrio esbp


FREE SITO




ASEK
CSUS'K

[Common Sense]

im not a gang member
i wont ever be a gang member

Well that's good to know and a wise choice.

for 2 months wen i was in middle skool i went to some middle skool in a rich community. and when i say rich community i mean as in a country club in the city. no graffiti. no gang members. probably a city where CM grew up in. ((sorry had to say it))

I grew up in Los Angeles in the middle of the worst gang war in the city's history.

i the first DAY i went to that skool the principal asked me "excuse me but why do you dress like that?"....like what! to me the way i dressed was normal but as soon as i went out to lunch everything came together. i was an outcast. everyone was in there "nice" ass expensive clothes. i was in my dickes, plain shirt with my fade. u feel me?

You were stereotyped as a gangster. Did you feed their curiosity?

the first class i went to within 10 minutes i got kciked out for speaking.

The school had rules. Maybe you broke them?

while i was there people use to think i was in a gang. but the thing was where i grew up no one would have mistaken me for a gang banger.

I can believe that.

it only took em 2 months to get me kicked out.

Maybe it's too bad you got kicked out. You could of learned something there. 2 months??? sounds like that were trying to give you a chance.
Not many people get chances or breaks in life. When you get one..you should take it, you may not get another.

yeah i admit i did some shit but fu-- it they pissed me off. i think thats when i startin realizn how out of place i was from my neighborhood i grew up just bein another foo..but outside of the hood ..out in the world i was looked down on.

At least you admit you were wrong. Sometimes we are not in a position to retaliate on others, especially when we need their services. You needed the school, the school didn't need you...so that got rid of you.

CM i know we've had some arguments on the topic of "WRITTING" but on this TOPIC "IS A GANG BEIN A WASTE OF TIME" how can u defend ur side honestly.

Very easy. Being in a gang comes with minimal benefits and everything else to lose. 1. Prison (who needs prison in their life) 2. Strikes from going to prison (life is hard enough as it is, strikes makes employment opportunities worse), 3. Paranoia (how can you relax and enjoy life, when you know people are out to kill you), 4. Death (there is nothing cool about getting killed)

ur comin from SOCIETYS point of view. but u have to understand ur life/mindset/opinions are differnt then those of not even gang members. just people who grew up on the streets.

I know this. That's why I'm here. Some people here have never heard of the things I write on this forum. That put's them at a disadvantage. If one really dissect what I write and go verify what I write, they are better off than before. I'm not here to toot my own horn, but I am here to share alternative knowledge that many here should have learned through their own families.

arguments like this will forever continue...the most that can be done is for u to accept what we have to say n we accept what u have to say not agreee just take it in.

What is good here is....we are having a discussion about differences. That's how you grow as a individual. You take a topic and throw it up in the air, then pick it apart. Everybody learns something.

and that can even be hard when we've seen and been taught one thing only.

That's true Young 1, that's the main reason why I can to this forum. I've been to the other side. I came back to share what I picked up along the way. I hope others will do the same.

u cant get someone to change there thoughts or opinions about something when all there life theyve had it.

Your right again. I can't change anyone at all. People must change themselves. Some people don't want change in their life, some like the chaos and instability.

also i some of my closes friends and family are gang members and i dont think that its respectful for u to put down what thayve chosen to do just becuz "society" says its bad.

Society doesn't tolerate random murder, drive by's, buglarly and drug sales too well. People have families and they work too hard... to let someone off the street set claiming disrupt their life. Look at these mothers crying on the news about their dead children from stray bullets by gang members. Nobody is down with that.

society says lock them up. society turns there backs on them because of the things there involved in.

Criminals are responsible for their own actions. They know what time it is.
You rob someone and get sent to prison...Who's fault is that? Not mine. I'm not trying to hear that.

sometimes some of us get lucky. like i did

I'm glad you got lucky Young 1, let's hope you remain that way.

[ElGuero]

Its always easy to look at things in hindsight, today......yeah when I look back it was a waste of time. But at the time I was going through it, knowing the things I knew and being in the situation I was in, it wasn't a waste.....Its all too easy to criticize unless you've been in it.....

The experiences I had have made me more of a humble person, have taught me a lot....and have made me somewhat thankful for getting out of that life........although at times, there is a certain nostalgia there.....there were a lot of good times, good people, it wasn't all bad.....

[Common Sense]

Its always easy to look at things in hindsight, today......yeah when I look back it was a waste of time......

Your older and more mature now. I'm sure with your experience you would have different things to say about joining a gang especially if your child was considering the choice.

But at the time I was going through it, knowing the things I knew and being in the situation I was in, it wasn't a waste.

That's the attraction and misconception of being in a gang. That's where maturity and/ or guidance step in. If young people knew all the answers they wouldn't need to be responsibly raised by adults.

Its all too easy to criticize unless you've been in it.

That's true, but now all information is criticism. It's what it is....Information for better living.

The experiences I had have made me more of a humble person, have taught me a lot....and have made me somewhat thankful for getting out of that life........although at times, there is a certain nostalgia there.....there were a lot of good times, good people, it wasn't all bad.....

You were one of the lucky one's. There are a lot of dead young men/women out there that deserved a better deal. Maybe if a friend or stranger would have given them an alternative view point about the glory of gang life, their lives would have changed or at least they would still be alive.

[Lonewolf]

"NO" Being in a gang is not a waste of time in itself.
Everyone grows up in some sort of school of life.
Some for whatever reasons end up in the street gangs.
But that in itself is not a recipe for failure, for some yes, for others is a wealth of experience obtained that is used for the rest of their lives.
Criminals of all types, from killers, thiefs, rapists, molestors, wife-beaters, scammers, etc, etc. come from all walks of life.
Utopian society has yet to be achieved, and until that happens, young people as well as olden ones will follow that human trend of 'wishing to belong' and be someone, have some fame of sorts, be recognized. We are as some would say A SOCIAL BREED and can not live a solitary life without going bananas. This same trend coupled with the ills of society as well as the boredom of the concrete jungles we live in, sends us to the arms of exitement and exhiliration that gangs, nightclubs, bars, dancehalls, parties, strip joints, sports events, concerts, beaches, or anything & anywhere where there is some action to be found.
So the question I ask is not so much wether being is a gang a waste of time, but rather WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO STOP THE MURDEROUS VIOLENCE OF STREET GANGS. ~PEACE~

[Common Sense]

^^^Well said ....Lonewolf.